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Event tickets for Gen Con Online are now on sale! Chaosium is offering 80 online TTRPG games: Call of Cthulhu, RuneQuest, Pendragon, and Questworlds sessions, along with our special VIP Creators' Series. Book now before they all sell out!: https://www.gencon.com/events?search=chaosium

We were delighted when Steve Perrin joined the design team for the new edition of RuneQuest in 2016. At the time RQG design lead Jeff Richard said, “We want to usher in the newest exploration of Glorantha with a tribute to the masterpiece opus of work that has come before. Part of Steve's role is to help insure that this edition contains the best possible game mechanics while maintaining backwards compatibility with RuneQuest 2". Five years later, Steve's final design work for RuneQuest can be found in two recent adventure supplements. Steve wrote the scenarios "The Lost Valley" and "Urvantan's Tower" in The Smoking Ruin. And for The Pegasus Plateau Steve wrote "The Pairing Stones", as those stones were named after he and his wife Luise, who painted the iconic cover that graces RuneQuest's first and second editions, and provided interior illustrations for various early Chaosium releases. Pairing = Perrin, so something of a love letter. We had more projects in mind with Steve, but sadly these had to take a back seat in recent times while he cared for his beloved wife Luise, and then dealt with health issues of his own. But we can truly say that Steve Perrin's work runs throughout everything released for the line, and his influence is seen in everything we do for RuneQuest and indeed everything in the BRP sphere. RuneQuest and BRP creative director Jason Durall said on Steve's passing, "When people are suddenly gone, the ones close and far are often filled with 'I wish…'es. In my case, they’re simple. I wish I had known him better. I wish I could have worked with him more. I wish, too, that he understood how much gratitude I had for him and his work." Steve Perrin (L) with Jason Durall (C) and Jeff Richard (R) at Gen Con 2019

Vale and farewell, Steve Perrin! By Rick Meints, Chaosium President When the world of roleplaying games was still waiting to be born, you and your closest friends conjured up the Society for Creation Anachronism (SCA) from the realms of your collective imagination. Bump, bump, bump down the stairs, indeed. Shortly thereafter Steve and his wife Luise joined the fledging Chaosium as it spread its draconic wings in the mid-1970s with White Bear & Red Moon, and a little known RPG called RuneQuest, born on the 4th of July in 1976. Steve’s canny understanding of gaming mechanics and Luise’s artistic vision helped forge an iconic game still played around the world today. But a few hours ago we learned that Steve was taken from us, even as he worried that his beloved Luise’s health situation was more dire than his. He was a loving and devoted partner to the end. To sum up all that Steve was to the Chaosium family cannot be typed up in a few sentences. He is one of our Great Old Ones. An innovative genius who helped pave the way for us to exist today, delighting gamers while they sit around a table, in person or online, exploring stories and adventures together, weaving new tales of derring-do. RuneQuest and Superworld were his children, and his imprint on so many of our other games is indelibly present. Many of us grew up playing his games. He was the uncle we admired, envied, and listened to for his wise counsel. In the last few years, as a new edition of RuneQuest was born he was there, his wisdom and experience reminding us of the simple, pure, and wondrous origins of the magic of roleplaying. How can you say thank you for that? We grieve with all of those who knew him, especially his family. We thought we might have been able to entice him to be with us at one more gaming convention in the near future, but now we know that gathering will have to wait. Saying farewell is never easy. Dear friends depart, and we remember them for all the richness they brought to our lives. We at the Chaosium cherish all the decades you sat with us at the gaming table and the stories you created with us. Vale, and farewell, Steve. Steve Perrin and Greg Stafford at Gen Con 2018. Vale to these Great Old Ones.

Chaosium congratulates creators from our Miskatonic Repository and Jonstown Compendium community content programs who received nominations in this year's ENnie awards! 2021 Nominees – Best Organised Play (Community Content) Hand of Glory (Miskatonic Repository) – Allan Carey A Rough Guide to Glamour (Jonstown Compendium) – Chris Gidlow, Mike Hagen, Nick Brooke, Michael O'Brien, Jeff Richard, Greg Stafford Citizens of the Lunar Empire (Jonstown Compendium) – Chris Gidlow Under the Miskatonic Repository community content license, Call of Cthulhu independent creators can make their own work for use with the game line available to the public on DriveThruRPG, using guidelines, templates, and art provided by Chaosium. The Jonstown Compendium is the similar platform for self-published RuneQuest roleplaying game content. nb Chaosium itself did not submit any products for consideration for this year's awards. "We've won our fair share of ENnies recently – 30 ENnie Awards from 34 nominations in the last five years. We're giving other, smaller, publishers an opportunity, and encouraged the independent creators in our community content programs to enter," said Chaosium vice president Michael O'Brien. Important Dates: August 18, 2021 – August 27, 2021 – Voting Opens! September 17th, 2021 at 8:00 PM EDT – ENNIES 2021 Ceremony

Rick writes "Every so often we get a wonderful completist collector of Chaosium games ask us about some of our product numbers that never got used. One of the earliest ones we skipped was CHA2341 in the Call of Cthulhu product line." What was the mystery title? Chaosium president Rick Meints tells all in his latest 'Out of the Suitcase' post: https://www.chaosium.com/blogout-of-the-suitcase-19-another-mystery-solved-cha2341

The 'Unnatural Selections' series is our regular round up of notable Chaosium reviews worth a look. Here's some critical commentary about recent groundbreaking Call of Cthulhu releases that "flip the script": BERLIN THE WICKED CITY "I confess I’m blown away. Weimar-era Berlin (1919-1932) is a perfect setting for Call of Cthulhu, and I’m a bit surprised it took 40 years for someone to pitch the idea to Chaosium. David Larkins explains why he designed it: A GM after my own heart. I used to design transgressive campaigns like this for AD&D, populating my scenarios with all sorts of demented elements that were, well, not to everyone’s taste... But the world-building of Berlin: The Wicked City is on such a staggering scale, and something I’ve rarely seen in any RPG supplement. The geographic and historical detail alone is worth the price of admission. A full-scale color map of the city is provided, and keyed with important sites, many of which are zoomed-in throughout the module. Notable personalities, and plenty of real-world historical people, are given helpful bios and gaming stats. There is a section on crime and punishment, Berlin’s dark underworld, and the many political factions before Hitler’s takeover in 1933. The section on LGBT issues is remarkably informative, and explains how people of unconventional sexuality can find a welcoming place in Berlin. For RPG city supplements, Berlin sets a new bar. But how well is the gazetteer put to use? A Cthulhu source book is ultimately judged on the strength of its adventures scenarios—the application, in other words, of its own source material. Trust me when I say the three Berlin adventures are among the best I’ve seen.. Not only are the three adventure scenarios among the best I’ve seen for Call of Cthulhu, the detail provided for Berlin is on par with the best city modules or gazetteers for any RPG... Don’t wait. Buy it here. Rating: 5 stars out of 5." — Loren Rosson, The Busybody. Full review here. HARLEM UNBOUND "An expansion of Call of Cthulhu, Chaosium’s wildly popular tabletop roleplaying game based on Lovecraftian lore... Spivey’s critically lauded expansion of the game is a landmark for both the tabletop roleplaying world and for Lovecraftian literature. It focuses on the Harlem Renaissance and assumes that all players, regardless of their real world ethnicity, will be stepping into the shoes of a black, indiginous, person of color in that time period. The book is an engrossing historical tome as well as a literal guidebook for meaningfully exploring racism in Lovecraftian fiction. We’ll never have any shortage of the sublime. H.P. Lovecraft has shown us, deftly, how to summon it. Instead, Lovecraftian authors [such as Chris Spivey] are discovering new ways to tap into the beauty that he flirted with, but seldom gave into transforming his hate into more meaningful stories than he ever could conjure. From the rot and putrescence of his prejudiced heart, glorious things are blossoming — awe-striking in their resplendent multifariousness." — Cat Blackard in Consequence of Sound. Full review here. A COLD FIRE WITHIN "Author Christopher Smith Adair has tapped into Theosophist ideas, Hollow Earth theory, various types of spiritualism, some weird science, and even America’s pre-WWII flirtation with fascism... this is more Indiana Jones punching Nazis off an exploding dirigible than it is John Trent’s dawning realization that reality isn’t what it used to be, even if Sutter Cane’s books suck. What he’s made reminds me of reading Mike Mignola’s Hellboy comics, which are themselves rooted in Lovecraft and in the Pulps. I’m not going into the story or plot developments here, but it gets weird. Really, really weird... Depending on how things go, you could be dealing with time travel, astral projection, the Dreamlands, ancient super-tech, lost civilizations, and more. This was made for Pulp Cthulhu, the expansion/variation of the classic roleplaying game that really, really leans into the Pulp sensibilities. I’m pretty excited about the idea of running this... I think running something so unabashedly Pulpy, with elements of King Kong, Disney’s Atlantis, Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Pellucidar stories, Hellboy, Indiana Jones and more looks like a ton of fun." — Matthew J. Constantine. Full review here. THE CHILDREN OF FEAR In a campaign of this kind, ranging from China in the turbulent 1920s along the Silk Road to Tibet and colonial British India, questions of colonialism and racism, not to mention cultural appropriation, are almost sure to arise. All I can say is that Lynne Hardy and her fellow writers have done an extremely sensitive, painstaking, respectful and even reverential exploration of the traditions and cultures involved, even when they’ve turned a dark mirror to some of their most alarming aspects to create the villains of the piece. Almost every creed or social fabric is presented on its own terms, whether the strictures of the Hindu caste system, or the extremes of Tibetan Bon lore – in authentic terms that nonetheless will at times push your Culture Shock meter up to 11. Racism in the British colonial context is presented unflinchingly, with no attempt to handwave or airbrush over its impact on the campaign. Players will definitely encounter seriously adult content, sexual as well as horrific, but that is suitably signposted, with plenty of warnings for Keepers to secure player buy-in and ensure that no one’s consent to participate in such sections is overruled... ..this is a gem and an instant classic. Players could wander through this campaign for years and still not come to the end of it; and very probably they wouldn’t want to leave. Unreservedly recommended." — Paul St John Mackintosh. Full review here.

Last month, Chaosium officially partnered with the Storytelling Collective to feature a dedicated Call of Cthulhu path in their popular Write Your First Adventure workshop series. The Call of Cthulhu path of the program was designed by award-winning RPG designer Paul Fricker, co-author of Call of Cthulhu 7th edition.And now, we're excited to see works produced in that program are beginning to appear in the Miskatonic Repository, among works by established community content creators.For anyone who would like to give scenario writing a go, the workshop will be running again in November! Michigan Mythos: Fall ColorsCharles Dunwoody ($2.99, 26 page PDF)In 1935, the Civilian Conservation Corps built the beach house for Ludington State Park in the state of Michigan. In this adventure, the beach house may never get built if the heroes don’t act to stop a threat to the workers and to the local waters. Heroes will investigate a beach house on Lake Michigan, travel up the Sable River, and explore the ruins around Hamlin Lake as fall colors surround them. This Pulp Cthulhu adventure is for up to six heroes plus the Keeper.The Black Tree of Cold SpringsDiego Batres ($4.50, 38 page PDF)The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl have taken their toll on the small town of Cold Springs. As the townspeople grow more and more desperate, some have chosen to flee, while others refused to abandon their homes and chose to tough it out, no matter how bad the dust storms got. But when a dust storm uncovered a series of ancient standing stones on humble farmer William Mullin’s property, he discovered a third, more appealing option, and began to worship The Mistress of the Grain.Storm From A TeacupRoyce Wilson (Pay-what-you-want, suggested price $3.66, 25 page PDF)A new tea has become the "in thing" amongst the jazz set of Pineview's youth, and while some of its imbibers report a fun but strange hallucinatory effect, others are seeing much more sinister - and even madness inducing - visions. Where did this tea come from? Are its drinkers really seeing monsters? The Investigators are being tasked with finding out...This scenario encompasses 'old money' establishment, indifferent law enforcement, jazz-enjoying youth, bootleggers, sinister cultists, dark magick and a glimpse into the horrors of the Mythos.Tales of the Casket GirlsMichael Henebry ($1.00, 21 page PDF)The investigators are called to a missing persons report. A man has disappeared after inheriting his late aunt's house and business. Foul play? Maybe...During their inquiry, the investigators will find that there is much more to some of the legends of New Orleans than previously thought.A 1920s scenario about ancient creatures that terrorize humanity. We think we know about them but we haven't even scratched the surface.An Eye For An EyeFrancis Xavier Norton ($4.99, 45 page PDF)Your head is pounding, your pockets are empty, and your memories are hazy. All that lies before you is a cold and industrial warehouse that manages to feel foreign and familiar at the same time. The answers you seek lie within, and it is up to you to discover the truth, one door at a time. The key to escaping may very well be in your memories. Little do you know, you are about to enter the cat and mouse game of your very lives...This adventure is in 1929, located in a warehouse transported into a dream-like world, controlled by The King in Yellow.Passenger OlympusMitchel Bonnema (Pay-what-you-want, suggested price $3.48, 31 page PDF)The cargo vessel Olympus has been adrift for a few days now. A radio message spoke of the crew having found a mermaid in the water. Days later another radio message came in, which sounded like the ramblings of a madman before cutting off completely. What madness befell the crew of the Olympus, and what exactly is this mermaid they found out at sea?A oneshot taking place out in the Gulf of Mexico.Walk Among UsCarrer Marco ($2.25, 14 page PDF)A family man without a soul. A murderer on the loose. And mosquitos everywhere. Investigators, Welcome to New Orleans!A scenario where investigators will have to solve a cold case which will lead them in the deep of the bayou! There, only horror awaits them.Horror at the Westmore MotelLeopoldo Rueda ($2.99, 28 page PDF)Horror at the Westmore Motel. It’s the year 1983, and a disturbing coincidence sends the protagonists of this story to investigate the Westmore Motel. What they will find there... is something out of this world! Long Night's MoonTodd Miller ($2.99, 22 page PDF)An unexpected ice storm leaves a group of friends stranded on a dark and dreary road in the middle of the night. But they're not alone. Something in the woods is stalking them, not for prey, but for reasons that are far, far worse.A modern-day, one-shot survival horror scenario.The Chocolate FactoryPete Shanahan ($2.99, 17 page PDF)Have you seen the “Yellow Ticket”? Winners of this fabulous chocolatey prize are being given a grand tour of the world-famous Monka Chocolate Factory. For years the confectionary secrets have been kept behind the locked gates of this mysterious building. The factory itself is isolated, on a lonely block of land on the outskirts of town. Rumors abound about the wealthy eccentric owner, some say she holds children captive to work the machines, others say the machines run themselves.Cosa Nostra ConflagrationNick Olivo ($1.00, 15 page PDF)Boston, 1923. The heroes are summoned to Boston City Hospital to investigate the immolation of a local baker. Through their investigations, they learn a mobster has gotten his hands on a deadly flame spell and is using it to extort local business owners. Can our heroes put a stop to this fiery menace?A Pulp Cthulhu scenario for 3-5 players.Crepid FornicationPhilip G. Orth ($4.16, 57 page PDF)Following their invitation to Heller House, the investigators pursue their interests, artistic or otherwise. When a fellow artist is murdered, finding the one responsible is a no-brainer. Heller House, however, still harbors a deep dark secret.A murder mystery with a deep twist, set in Hamburg, Germany in 1928.The Miskatonic FiveMatthew Sincic, Alex Artang (Free, 17 page PDF)Unrest rocks the campus of Miskatonic University in May of 1970. The investigators are caught up in the machinations of a professor and a group of cultits. Will they choose to stop the plot, or join it?Thrown VoicesJ. Carter ($4.80, 24 page PDF)Inspired by living doll stories such as those by R.L Stein and Richard Mattheson, Thrown Voices pits players against Friendly Quince, an antique ventrilloquist doll with murderous intent-unleashed into a seaside hotel by an unwitting gang of bank robbers.Convalescence - A 1920s AdventureAdam Preset ($2.99, 21 page PDF)Wounded investigators take time to heal in a quiet country clinic near Dublin. Almost mended, they are ready to be voluntarily discharged. But they wake to two horrifying and gruesome murders that makes them fear that among angels of mercy may walk an angel of death.The Bernard Brown’s CaseGry Frejtaga ($10.00, 76 page PDF)At the beginning, the scenario resembles a typical criminal case. However, in the finale, the pace accelerates as the center of focus shifts from detective investigation to live action and playstyle most would call a ‘pulp RPG’. But remember, dear Keeper, it is only up to you how much ‘pulp’ there will be in ‘The Bernard Brown’s Case’.Pop Goes the WeaselChris Stewart ($2.00, 23 page PDF)Summer 1978, Miskatonic University, Arkham, MA – Disco rules the airwaves, Pong rules the arcades and computer technology is about to begin a Quantum Leap from industry into the home. An exciting computer architecture, devised by a recent acquisition from MIT, is about to make Miskatonic University world famous, but only if the product works.Can your players help investigate the strange happenings around this new product, before someone else snatches the glory and the market share?Cold HungerPaul Dimitrievich ($2.00, 17 page PDF)This one-shot module pits the investigators against the harsh Canadian wilderness in the dead of winter as they hunt for a missing reporter. But there is more than hypothermia and wolves to contend with in this story of isolation, blood and terror. Can you reisist the Cold Hunger? Inspired by the Lovecraftian story, Pickman's Model.Trouble in PinewoodTineke Bolleman ($3.00, 15 page PDF)The town of Pinewood is troubled. Lately livestock and even pets are disappearing during the night. If lucky, a pile of bones if found, completely cleaned of meat. People are afraid of this strange animal that must be stalking the night... Then suddenly screams erupt. The monster has abducted a man! Can the investigators find out what is happening before its too late for the monsters last victim?Seven Sister HillsE. Gonnella ($3.00, 15 page PDF)The wooded valley with seven hills is home to a bloody local legend. A graduate student went deep into the valley, but hasn't been seen for days. Out of fear that the authorities will blame him, a retired criminal calls in a few favors that brings some old assocaites to this dying town to find the truth.One-shot Modern scenario for two to four Investigators in the American Midwest.At One With NatureGraham James (Pay What You Want, suggested price Free, 26 page PDF)A happy young people travel to visit a beloved sister who married and moved to Scotland last year. They discover the sister is missing and, upon investigating, find a macabre and grotesque ritual sacrifice that can only end in one of two horrific outcomes.The Great HealerG. A. Patrick ($5.00, 44 page PDF)Horrid History Boston is being sued by the city over a missing tourist. With a shaky health and safety record they are eager to avoid court and auditing. The rumours online are ablaze that a ghost devoured the poor woman but the City isn't buying it, even with shaky pictures from tourists' phones. The tour company wants to hire every psychic, scientist, horror writer or other charlatan that might be able to prove that the ghosts are real and get them off the hook. All you have to do is take the same midnight boat tour out into Boston Harbour where the tourist vanished, record some readings, and kill some time. Easy money.Take a walk through history with this time travel epic, and find the cause of the ghosts.North Island SanitoriumMichael Bertolini ($5.99, 18 page PDF)In 2003, production of 'American Ghosts' debuted on TV with decent levels of success. Several episodes were filmed and broadcast, though a steady decline in viewership was noted. Now the threat of cancellation looms, only a truly stunning episode could bring in the desired numbers. Word has reached you that the isolated and nearly destroyed island sanitorium, a site built by Dr. Aldous Brewer but damaged by fires in the 1980’s, is available for you. Reports of its haunting go back to the 1920’s, do you dare visit?The Bottle EpisodeBenjamin Wenham ($6.95, 22 page PDF)Earlier this morning Joshua Abbott, lawyer, and amateur historian, disappeared. Unusually, he did so from within a locked room. Where has he gone? How did he disappear? What is the link to a near decade old maritime disaster? Why was abbot in communication with one of Kingsport's most infamous. What is the significance of the bottled ship on Abbott's desk?Alpaca in the Sheep FieldJohn Hall (Pay-what-you-want, suggested price $1.00, 19 page PDF)At 6am this morning, a man’s body was found on the quiet island of Dalbrae off the west coast of Scotland. His body was torn to pieces as if by a wild animal attack. But there are no large predators on the island. You are journalists from a local TV channel sent out to report on the incident and to try and figure out what has happened. What angle will you take? Was it murder? Some kind of accident? What darkness waits in this sleepy tourist town?The Baskwood Island HotelAndy Miles ($2.99, 34 page PDF)Welcome to The Baskwood Island Hotel. We hope you enjoy your stay on this beautiful island and in our enchanting hotel. This is our first season, so everything is brand new and the staff are all eager to serve you! We look forward to meeting you during your time here. Is this hotel too good to be true?The StaircaseMarcus Katz ($4.99, 24 page PDF)Discover an alien landscape in the very core of madness itself as your investigators tread the Staircase and attempt to confound its mystery. This scenario includes themes of horror, survival, insanity and threat.Sermon of SludgeBored Stiffs (Pay-what-you-want, suggested price $1.00, 43 page PDF)A comet is barreling toward Earth. Does it bring salvation... or doom? Wilter Gurvitch, fringe scientist turned counterculture celebrity, is holding a lecture to warn the public of the apocolyptic danger of a fast-approaching comet. And when a controversial figure like Gurvitch’s involved, something’s bound to go up in flames...Set in Los Angeles, California during the summer of 1973, though it can be modified to fit a major city in any era.Flute of the GodsPhil Anderson & Allan Carey ($8.99, 23 page PDF)"A group of musicians are invited to perform for an impresario who can make or break careers – it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. But success can come at a price: and sometimes, the price of success is astronomical..."Brought to you by award-winning Chaosium licensee, Type40, Children of Chaac is the ninth Call of Cthulhu adventure in the monthly Seeds of Terror range.Operation FoxgloveChad Briggs (Free, 33 page PDF)In February 1944, the German military occupies Norway. A team of commandos is sent from Britain to disrupt the transport system behind enemy lines, and make their way to the remote mountain village of Røros. Unknown to them, the Germans have awakened something deep underground, and the team must decide quickly what is most important- their mission, or the town itself.The LeprechaunPierre-Olivier Gagnon ($3.20, 32 page PDF)On St Patrick’s Eve 1921, young Aidan Ward accidentally freed one of Boston’s Degenerates. The creature then made its home in the air vents connecting Kilroy’s Butcher Shop and the Wards’ apartment. Its antics have put the residents of Green Street on edge: be it gnawed food stores, vandalised displays, stolen dolls and even Leprechaun sightings! Nobody suspects, however, that Aidan’s new friend hides a horrific secret.The Brockton ButcherGraham Payne ($4.81, 35 page PDF)Horror is best when it hits close to home. Your Investigator will come face to face with a being of meat and terror. Set in modern day Toronto, Canada, horrify your player by violating their false sense of security as an unnatural horror moves in next door.Into a Dark HeartAndrew Edward ($5.50, 30 page PDF)The investigators are hired to sail a dilapidated steamer up the majestic Congo river, deep into the jungle. Their task is simple, retrieve a sick company agent and bring him safely back. While there make sure his valuable shipments of company goods continue to flow. As for some of those rumours, just ignore them.The Curse of Black Teeth KeetesPerry Grosshans ($2.40, 28 page PDF)Kingsport, June, 1933. The heroes are contacted by Old Cobb, a fisherman who claims to have found a waterlogged diary on a boat adrift at sea. The diary is from Howard Winchester, a well-known explorer and friend of the heroes, and describes the discovery of a mysterious island connected to a pirate known as John “Black Teeth” Keetes and a cache of South American gold. The last entry hints that Howard may be trapped on the island. Off to rescue their friend and find the pirate treasure, the heroes discover strange statues, crazed survivors, and a pirate cove that holds the real secret behind the island, and why it should never have been found in the first place…A Pulp Cthulhu adventure set in the 1930s, and can be played as a one-shot or integrated into an existing campaign.The Oxford ArticlesDavid Wright ($4.99, 58 page PDF)What connects a fire at St Michael At The North Gate Church, a series of missing books and The Order of the Green Gate? Visit Oxford, England in 1953 and help uncover the truth.Set in Oxford, England in 1953 the adventure leans more towards the 1920s than Modern from an Era perspective. The investigators are summoned to All Souls College to help an old friend or colleague in solving a confusing mystery.Dead Man's DreamsA. Keith Applegarth ($2.99, 28 page PDF)A recently passed friend is accused of murder... after he died.A stand alone modern day adventure.The Prisoner's DilemmaT A Newman ($6.94, 56 page PDF)A letter from an inmate at HMP Dartmoor Prison, Devonshire, England. A request for your forgiveness in the final days of a man’s life in exchange for a substantial reward for your time. Is this too good to be true?Looking for survival horror TTRPG like no other . . . look no further. Take your players into the infamous HMP Dartmoor Prison and watch them run, hide, and fight to survive. This 1920s scenario is designed specifically to build tension and suspense in your game leading to a climax that forces the investigators to make a decision that will live with them for the rest of their lives. However long that will be.The Mirror CollectionFahim Sheikh, Jessica Gunn ($5.00, 14 page PDF)Taking place in the small north eastern university town of Maypool in the 1980s, this scenario tasks a group of Investigators with figuring out what is behind a rash of disappearances in this once sleepy town. In this journey they will uncover the truth behind a college professor's expedition to the Western Sahara, the artifact he retrieved, and the horrific fate that's befallen the abducted residents of Maypool as a result.St. Dymphna's Orphanage: Azathoth's ChildrenZachary Pagram ($3.67, 20 page PDF)A matron weary of misbehaving children performs a dark ritual to control the orphans under her shelter. Her treasured music box, a family heirloom from a wealthier time, is touched by a wandering tendril of the great Azathoth’s sleeping mind. An unholy pact is formed.Players enter the world of H. P. Lovecraft as orphans in an adventure against a malevolent matron and her cursed music box.AutopsyG. A. Patrick ($3.75, 35 page PDF)It is 1921, and you have recently been enrolled at Shaw University, a cloistered, and exclusive place of learning in the Boston area, with limited spaces, high standards, and ruthless competition among the students. Only one week in, and you are starting to feel the pressure to perform, with whispers of some pupils already being expelled. So you are delighted to be asked to attend and help Professor Goodfellow, he has a small matter of a murder for you to solve. Nothing a student of your caliber would balk at for some extra credit.A 4 hour morally grey, investigation heavy scenario for 1-3 players, set during the 1920s.A Shrieking VioletJacob Parker (Pay-what-you-want, suggested price $2.99, 19 page PDF)It's December, and the snow and bodies are piling up. Keep your wits about you and you just might stay upright through Christmas. Find the killer, close the case. Couldn't be simpler.Take on the roles of 1920's Chicago detectives investigating an unusual death in the Little Italy neighborhood. It's a tough time to be a copper, with Capone and his gang having the run of the town.Broken Arrow: ChernobylChad Briggs (Free, 42 page PDF)February 1992, the newly-independent country of Ukraine still has nuclear warheads on its territory, and now one has gone missing. An international group of intelligence officers and scientists must find the culprit, leading them into the dark and nightmarish world of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.A Sliver of StarlightDaniel Chadborn ($1.00, 45 page PDF)An obsessed writer was found dead at his desk in a house that has become a hub for rumors of paranormal activity. A decade later fans of his work, seeking a missing friend, enter the house, where the source of his obsession still remains. Will they brave the unknown to save their friend? Or will they seek out the madness at the heart of 16 Briarwood Court and risk themselves to the same obsession?UNBOXINGMichael Bertolini ($2.99,10 page PDF)Janet Livingston was a student at Miskatonic University in Arkham, MA. She was a great student but has recently been missing class. Last week, she stopped communicating with her family entirely; in a blind panic her parents figured that she was missing yet they didn’t know where to turn. Massachusetts State Police and Miskatonic University Police were unable to help (Philip Livingston doesn’t want to risk press attention). But Janet isn’t the only one. People in New England are disappearing or cutting ties with their closest relations at seemingly random.In this 1920s scenario, the investigators are tasked with figuring out what is happening; specifically, what happened to Janet Livingston. Under the Frozen GroveTito Leati ($7.99, 96 page PDF)Millennia ago, the crest of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine was sheeted by perennial ice like the Alps. Plants, animals, and humans were different, and the sky looked different as well. It was another world, yet it was our own. We know already a lot about it, yet still very little...Classic scenario set in Italy during the early 1930s.The Hounds of SalemAnthony L. Wolf (Pay What You Want, suggested price $4.99, 36 page PDF)Arkham, 1923. Rumours of a mysterious crime start plaguing the Miskatonic University: two ancient and forbidden tomes have been stolen from the Orne Library. Suspecting an annoying form of student mischief, unpleasant senior professor Alexander Wallace calls forth a group of eager investigators to help him track down the missing tomes. He hopes it may be a matter of asking just a few questions around campus. As it happens, the truth is way darker than it first appears.Investigators chase the shadow of religious fanatism from Arkham to Salem, eventually crossing paths with an inter-dimensional creature and its mad summoner – a desperate father, looking to reclaim the life of his child.A map supplement is available separately, for free, in collaboration with Freelance Illustrator and Designer Spiffeigh.The Horror at Right HookElizabeth Hildick ($5.00, 27 page PDF)It’s a frigid January in New York City, 1928. Investigating the grisly death of a promising young boxer draws the players into an illegal fighting ring, brings the attention of a shadowy Society, and sends them into the waiting claws of a lurking beast. If that wasn’t trouble enough, they also have the anger of a mad magician to contend with!Under The Miskatonic Repository community content license, Call of Cthulhu fans can make their own work for use with the game line available to the public, using guidelines, templates, and art provided by Chaosium.Whether you share your content for free or put it up for sale, this program is a digital home for terror that joins the dreamscapes of all who peruse it. Miskatonic Repository Guidelines for Content Creators Additional Guidelines

Call of Cthulhu associate editor Lynne Hardy gives advice about creating Non Player Characters (NPCs) for Tabletop Roleplaying Games. Lynne is talking with Chaosium's James Coquillat as part of our Chaosium Interviews series.

After a successful first year in 2020, Gen Con Online is back in 2021, and Chaosium is taking part again too, with 80 online TTRPG games to choose from. Call of Cthulhu, RuneQuest, Pendragon, and Questworlds sessions are all on offer, along with our special VIP Creators' Series. Badge Registration for Gen Con Online is free and opened on June 27, 2021. Event Registration for Gen Con Online will open at noon Eastern on August 15. The Gen Con Online event catalog is available now to browse events and build your wish list. Chaosium Sessions at Gen Con Online CALL OF CTHULHU Aurora Dawn (Call of Cthulhu) Arctic exploring airships! Deadly rivals! Count von Zeppelin! Monsters! All under the scintillating lights of the Aurora Borealis. Uses the rules for Pulp Cthulhu. 12 sessions 4 hours on Discord Demens Rea (Call of Cthulhu - Down Darker Trails) An Old West judge tasks you with investigating an outlaws crimes before his trial. He says he's innocent, the townspeople say he's guilty of all sorts of crimes. Someone's lying. 8 sessions 4 hours on Discord Four Hours to Reno (Call of Cthulhu) Only four hours remaining to reach Reno, but the train journey is interrupted by a foul murder! 6 sessions 4 hours on Discord Horror by the Buffalo River (Call of Cthulhu) A survey of the Appalachian highlands leads to strange encounters. 1 session 4 hours on Discord Last Will and Testament of Prof. McTavis (Call of Cthulhu) Professor McTavis' will seeks friends to put right a wrong he committed while alive. You need merely retrieve an artifact from a hidden room beneath his family mausoleum. 21 sessions 2 hours on Roll20 and WebX Trouble at Days Rest (RuneQuest) Directed to the oasis of Days Rest, the band must find what happened to a missing merchant. 1 session 4 hours on Roll20 and Skype Why Is that Rabbit Watching Me? (Call of Cthulhu) Your daughter is missing, long enough that the town is mostly giving up looking. This is the last chance to track clues while anyone is willing to help. 7 sessions 4 hours on Roll20 and Discord KING ARTHUR PENDRAGON Dream of a Tower (King Arthur Pendragon) A dream calls to you and other knights who you meet on your travels. But can you find the location it describes? 2 sessions 2 hours on Roll20 Zoom RUNEQUEST Stealing the Eye (RuneQuest) You have only to take the massive gem set in the forehead of the giant statue and then leave the temple. And hopefully survive. 2 sessions 2 hours on Zoom The Eye of the Storm (RuneQuest) Your tribe needs representation during a ritual challenge. As your tribe's recent victory at Dangerford prepared you for this contest? 4 sessions 4 hours on Zoom QUESTWORLDS Wyrmghost Ruins (Questworlds) In a race against the Lunar Empire, find the secrets of draconic power that are hidden in the Wyrmghost Ruins. 1 session 4 hours on Zoom Chaosium VIP Creators' Series Games Thursday SEP 16, 8:00 PM EDT In the Hereafter (Call of Cthulhu) Having just arrived in the Sian (Xian), the ancient former capital of China, the investigators are faced with the mystery surrounding a series of perplexing thefts. Keeper: Chaosium's Lynne Hardy 3 hours on Zoom Scream of the Mandrake (Call of Cthulhu) In the dark corners of the Montague estate, something has gone wrong. Bone, blood and dirt await. Keeper: Chaosium's Allan Carey 4 hours on Zoom Friday SEP 17, 8:00 PM EDT Fortunate Sun (RuneQuest) "Sun folks are born, made to wave the flag Ooh, they’re Gold through and through..." A chance encounter with a group of Sun Dome Templars leads to shared nightmares - portents of a catastrophe that needs to be avoided. GM: Chaosium's Michael O'Brien 4 hours on Zoom Scream of the Mandrake (Call of Cthulhu) Keeper: Chaosium's Allan Carey 4 hours on Zoom Saturday SEP 18, 8:00 PM EDT Mad Prax: Genert's Road (RuneQuest) The Chaos Wastes beyond Prax are feared by all and only the mad and heroes dare venture there, or the truly desperate! You are still not sure which one you are. GM: Chaosium's Andrew Bean 4 hours on Zoom Scream of the Mandrake (Call of Cthulhu) Keeper: Chaosium's Allan Carey 4 hours on Zoom Sunday SEP 19, 12:00 PM EDT The Church on the Hill (Call of Cthulhu) The investigators are called in to assess the damage done to an ancient church by a blasting accident at the nearby quarry. But what else has the explosion released? Keeper: Chaosium's Lynne Hardy 3 hours on Zoom

Many of our current projects mine our vast library of prior Chaosium publications for inspiration and depth of material. Being the de facto company archivist, Rick delved into the company archives for copies of 1978's Perilous Encounters and the even rarer Dragon Pass Conventions supplement for it. The latest 'Out of the Suitcase' post from Chaosium President Rick Meints, sharing stories from a life-time as a collector of all things Chaosium: https://www.chaosium.com/blogout-of-the-suitcase-18-what-perilous-encounters-await-our-heroes

RuneQuest’s own literary bibliography humbly preceded D&D's Appendix N, and its genius is in its simple motivating force for others to do likewise. It inspired, sometimes subtly. But although it was listed as Appendix N in RuneQuest 2nd edition (1979), it was technically Appendix M! Rick explains why in his latest 'Out of the Suitcase' post https://www.chaosium.com/blogout-of-the-suitcase-17-the-first-appendix-n

For our Chaosium Interviews series on YouTube, James Coquillat talks to Chaosium's art director Jaye Kovach about the art of Art Direction and her experience in the field.

By Lynne Hardy, line editor for Rivers of London. Even when the game you’re developing is based on a tried and tested system, you still need to playtest it to make sure that all the tweaks and additions you’ve made work the way they need to. Our intention was (and still is!) for Rivers of London: the Roleplaying Game to be an introductory-level RPG, based on the Call of Cthulhu Starter Set and Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition rules, taking the elements we know work well from its parent games and adding in the extra bits and bobs needed to support storytelling in Ben Aaronovitch’s beloved urban fantasy world. That’s why we brought in Paul Fricker as the lead designer – he knows a thing or two about Call of Cthulhu, having co-written the 7th edition rules with Mike Mason. After in-house playtesting to develop the proof of concept and the early rules – all in consultation with Ben to make sure we’re preserving the flavour of his novels – the first draft of the combat rules went out for external playtesting. Even though combat isn’t central to Rivers of London, it does happen, and we wanted to make sure we got that right first. We received some very helpful feedback from our playtest groups across the world, and used it to refine the system even further. Once we were happy with the foundations, we built upon them. And when we felt everything was ready, we contacted the groups who had volunteered for the second round of external playtesting. Some of those playtesters had taken part in the first round, others were new to the game. This time, the groups received all the rules (including the additional ones for more experienced players), three scenarios (an introductory solo adventure plus two scenarios for group play), and profiles for the major NPCs from the Rivers of London world, as well as a variety of support materials, including handouts and at-a-glance guides. L-R: MOLLY, PETER GRANT, SAHRA GULEED. RIVERS OF LONDON CHARACTER ART BY ANASTASIA MAGLOIRE. Playtesting finished at the beginning of July, and we’ve received a lot of feedback! Here’s a small selection: I enjoyed many of the ways the rules have been simplified compared to BRP as used in Call of Cthulhu. The Common Skills with universal base success percentages is a strong innovation – H Character creation (minus gear and spell choices) can be completed in under 10 minutes. I love how easy it is to roll up a character. The “Investigator at a Glance” section was particularly helpful – B Having the options for [combat] responses clearly laid out was very useful, particularly including the ‘do nothing’ option so that I knew that actually was an option. The ‘dive for cover’ option is also great fun – S [Of the solo adventure] Probably the best introduction to any RPG ever – E It’s now our job to go through all of the comments, so that we can refine the rules where we need to and make sure that they are as clear and as easy to use as possible. The overall impression, though, is that even people who aren’t familiar with Ben’s novels had a lot of fun playing the game, which is exactly what a game developer wants to hear! And finally, we’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has helped with playtesting Rivers of London: the Roleplaying Game. Your time, energy, and feedback are greatly appreciated. Rivers of London Ben Aaronvitch's The Rivers of London series follows Peter Grant, an ordinary constable turned magician’s apprentice, as he solves crimes across London in a sensational blend of inventive urban fantasy, gripping mystery thriller, and hilarious fantasy caper. The series debuted in 2011 with Rivers of London (Midnight Riot in the US) and now includes more than a half-dozen novels, several novellas, and a number of comic book series. The series has sold well over two million copies and has been translated into fourteen languages. In May 2019, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost announced that their production company, Stolen Picture, had acquired rights to create a television series based on the world of the Folly. Author Ben Aaronovitch is also known for his work on both television and audio scripts for Doctor Who.

Chaosium's art director Jaye Kovach talks with James Coquillat about the process of creating art for Greg Stafford's world of Glorantha, setting our RuneQuest RPG. Part of our Chaosium Interviews series on YouTube.

Chaosium President Rick Meints shares stories from a life-time as a collector of all things Chaosium. Recently the Grognardia blog wrote about the strange serendipity between the bibliography in RuneQuest, which came out in 1978, and the bibliography in the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide, which came out in 1979: "Both bibliographies are the fourteenth appendix in their respective volumes, which is quite a coincidence – and a coincidence I am sure it is (for logistical reasons, if nothing else). Even if it weren't, the writers of RQ make it quite clear that, despite superficial similarities, their Appendix N is actually very different in both its content and intention than Gygax's own list. This becomes even clearer as you take a closer look at it. "RuneQuest's Appendix N offers a fascinating contrast to Gygax's own... Reading them side by side, one is immediately struck by the different cultures that produced each game – as anyone who has played them can attest. It's precisely those differences that enabled them to exist side by side, appealing as they did to different tastes, sensibilities, and interests." — Grognardia." RuneQuest’s bibliography humbly preceded D&D's Appendix N, and its genius is in its simple motivating force for others to do likewise. It inspired, sometimes subtly. But it was technically Appendix M! Here’s why... The first edition of RuneQuest (published June 1978) was divided into 10 sections, the last of which was X. Referee Notes. The thirteenth topic in that section (p.116) was a Bibliography of inspirational books, followed by a short list of Gloranthan games, other fantasy roleplaying games you might like to try (including Dungeons & Dragons), and the contact details for the Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA) and the dice manufacturer Lou Zocchi. The parts of RQ1's Section X were not assigned letters, but if they were, the bibliography would have been assigned the letter M. The second edition of RuneQuest (now available as RuneQuest Classic) was in layout by the summer of 1979, and was published in September of that same year. RQ2 updated the overall organization of the book and Section X was renamed Appendices. The Bibliography was now the 14th topic, so it was assigned the letter N. (The list of Gloranthan games had grown substantially and was moved into its own listing as Appendix O.) Just as Grognardia thinks it's a coincidence, I am 99% certain that Greg and company did not deliberately make the RQ2 Bibliography "Appendix N" because Gary Gygax had done so in the first edition of the DMG, which was published one month earlier in August 1979. But both bibliographies offer fascinating insights about the literary inspirations for each game. In our obsession with original creation, we too often forget simple coincidence. Tell us your inspirations, your call to arms, and the shadows of the past that inspired you to shine a light upon the future.

EMBRACE THE SUN DRAGON "My lord Argrath is the White Bull, but one of his other titles is Dragonlord," said Rurik Runespear. "And so Count Belvani has decreed that veneration of the Sun Dragon will resume in Sun County, an aspect of the Yelmalio cult that has been lost for centuries. "The Sun Dragon's return was presaged by Windwhistler the Wyrm. Argrath's mystic insight helped us understand it is none other than a living avatar of the Sun Dome Temple's long-lost Guardian of Above. "To mark this new dawn, Windwhistler gave gave a rapturous flyby over the battlefield, trailing the Sun Dome banner, now stitched with a golden dragon. A sight to behold! Count Belvani then sent us here to find you". He looked at Melo Yelo and saw the handle of the stone knife sticking out his dilly bag. "Pass me the blade, the utuma, that is what we have come here for." The Light Son took the blade and returned to Windwhistler. He gestured for Melo Yelo and the others to follow, but only Cornspot hesitantly joined the baboon in coming forward; the fear of dragons and dragon-kind was long ingrained in the Sun Folk, and they were scared of this sight. "Ourobo," said Rurik Runespear earnestly to Windwhistler, and then he bowed. "Ouroborrrrrrrrrrr," trilled the wyrm in the reply, and rolled over on to its back. Rurik ran the tip of the blade along Windwhistler's knarled and mottled scales until he found a spot close to its head. Melo Yelo and Cornspot gasped as Rurik plunged the stone knife into Windwhistler's hide and began slitting its belly open, slicing a long way down its tail. But where they expected to see spurting blood and viscera there was none – instead, inside the cut they could see a whitish shape moving and pulsing. "Windwhistler dances the Dance of Being," said Rurik, returning the knife to Melo Yelo. By now a crowd had gathered to see this wonder, prisoners and guards alike, all keeping a fearful distance though. After some minutes the white shape slowly emerged and uncoiled; it was Windwhistler refreshed, new and nascent! The wyrm's scales looked soft and were a flawless, unblemished white. It took many minutes for Windwhistler to twist and shrug itself out of its old skin. Eventually, laboriously, it came free and then the new wyrm lay flat on the ground beside its old self, panting deeply. "Ourobor," said Rurik. The recovering wyrm lay basking in the sun. As it absorbed Yelm's life-giving radiance it slowly swelled to its new true size, and as they hardened its scales began to take on a dazzling a golden hue. Finally, the transformation was complete. Windwhistler lifted its huge head, opened its jaws with a great yawn, and stretched out its new enormous wings. Many in the crowd ran away terrified. "Melo Yelo," the baboon heard in his head, "Father Yelm sees all, and for what you have done, for what you have sacrificed, the Sun Dragon bestows this boon. Take your knife and go to my old skin. Cut a long strip and get your liegeman to wrap it on your shoulder where you gave up your arm". By "liegeman" Windwhistler must have meant Cornspot, thought Melo Yelo, so he got him to assist as instructed. Although Windwhistler's old skin was thick and leathery, the utuma knife cut through it with ease. "Your liegeman may cut a strip too to make a jerkin," Windwhistler continued in his head and if a wyrm could smile that's what it did, "For I'm sure danger abounds when following the likes of you." Cornspot dutifully cut several strips of skin, enough to make himself a decent hauberk. When he finished he handed the blade back to Melo Yelo, who almost dropped it in surprise when he realised he'd reached out to take it with his left hand, from the arm he did not have. The wyrm skin wrapped around his shoulder had transformed: the new arm was baboon-like, but there were scales under the fur. "You'll need to step back," said Rurik, though he stayed where he was. Windwhistler shook and began to change colour again, this time a fiery red colour. The wyrm radiated intense heat - so hot, its old skin erupted in flame. "Ouroboro," said both Rurik, seemingly unaffected, and Windwhistler. Very quickly, the old wyrm skin was little more than ash. "Ouroboros," they said, though Windwhistler's hiss went on and on until his old body was completely consumed. The heat then died away and the great wyrm resumed its golden colour. "We must go back to Pavis now Melo Yelo, the Count awaits us," said Rurik. "You and your 'liegeman,' he nodded to Cornspot and also smiled, "are welcome to come too: there's plenty of room on the back of the Golden Wyrm, the new Windwhistler." Cornspot was happy to do anything to get out of Pent Ridge, and was all ready to jump on board the wyrm's back. Before he could do so a voice called out: hurrying across the bare ground from the encampment was a group of Yelmalion soldiers. As they drew closer it was clear they weren't templars but militia; farmers on temporary duty, a long way out from home. "Halt!" they cried officiously, "We are the Militia from Sandheart. Sent here by command of Lady Vega, Guardian of the Sun Dome. We are to escort the baboon Melo Yelo back to the Sun Dome Temple. This is the order for his immediate release." For want of anyone better to give it to, they handed the warrant to Rurik Runespear. "It seems they already think better of you at the Sun Dome," the Light Son said to Melo Yelo. "Go with your friend and prepare the way for the triumphant return of Count Invictus. Tell Lady Vega we'll be back when our business is finished outside the walls of Pavis. "Tell her we return embracing the Sun Dragon." *** Here I must suspend this Sun County saga for the time being. It's been fun, but I've been been posting every day since June 9th and after 48 days straight I really need to take a break for a bit! But I'll return with the second part of the saga - The Time of Two Counts - later this year. In the mean time I will go back through these parts and tie them all together as one continuous narrative. (I also have a scenario to finish for Jon Webb's wonderful Sandheart series... he's been very patient.) Cheers, and thanks for everyone's kind comments, MOB.

SECOND MOONBROTH "A great battle was fought at Moonbroth this very morning, " said Rurik Runespear. "I have come to you from there in Count Belvani's place." Count Belvani? wondered Melo Yelo, Cornspot and the others. "Yes, he is your count now," said Rurik, seeing their confused looks. "He arrived at the oasis on Windwhistler just before the dawn. Belvani went to Count Invictus's command tent to report and made a shocking discovery: the count was lying in his cot stone dead!" He shook his head sadly. "It was like he had choked on something in his sleep: his hand was around his throat. In his other hand, his human hand, he was holding this." He passed what he had to the baboon. It was a brass lid, tied with a red ribbon. "Count Belvani wanted me to show it to you - he thinks this is the magic stopper for Daga's Brass Jar. Where did he get it, and why didn't he use it, that is the question?" Unfortunately, this was a mystery Melo Yelo couldn't help with. He'd given his arm to Invictus at the Painted Wall so the baboon shaman could seal with jar with Invictus's own; they certainly had no stopper then. "Lord Belvani immediately assumed command of the Sun Dome forces. Caltrops had defeated the nomads in the first battle at Moonbroth, and the Lunars were supremely self-confident about the vast field they'd surrounded Moonbroth with. See here." The Light Son scratched in the dirt a plan of the battle site; in his spirit travels from deep in Daystar's Cavern, Melo Yelo had already seen this same series of fiendish concentric rings around the oasis. "The fields of caltrops had but four ways in, one at each cardinal point. But their pathways led in zig-zagging ways to the centre, so nomads could not charge straight through. "The Sun Dome Templars were deployed here, at the West Gate," Rurik said, pointing to one of the four openings in the field of caltrops. "The phalanx was to form a shield wall across the opening, a living gate if you will. There were similar shield walls across the other gateways, but this was the most important because it was by far the widest: the caravans for Dragon Pass leave from here. "At their final council of war Belvani said it would be an honour for Sun Dome Templars to deploy in this position. Banaryos, the Lunar general in charge, recognised that this was the most critical point. He wanted instead to deploy his best soldiers there, the Silver Shields. But the Governor overrode him." Rurik laughed. "Because Banaryos confirmed that this is where the most casualties were likely to take place, Halcyon decided why waste his own troops when there were loyal allies willing to spill their own blood on the Lunar Empire's behalf?" He shrugged. "The attack came soon after dawn. Little did the Lunars anticipate the size and fury of the tremendous horde that descended on the oasis, or that they would be led by Jaldon Goldentooth himself! At that name Cornspot and the other prisoners gasped. "Combined assaults were made on all four gates. Here," he said, pointing the South Gate, "the Impala Nation showered the Lunars with rains of arrows. At the East Gate, the Bolos and the Ostriches made their hit-and-run attacks, while at the South, the morokanth captured most of a last convoy trying to break out and escape back to Pavis. Sadly, the governor was one of the few that got away. "But by far the greatest number descended on the West Gate. Almost the entire Rhino tribe in the lead, followed Bison, High Llamas and more. Lined up against them was the shield wall and pikes of the Sun Dome, brothers locked together – a magnificent sight!" He sketched how the nomad host converged on this one point. "And truly, I believe that first wave of nomad cavalry would have crashed and broke against them." He laughed again. "But they did not. Mere seconds before contact the shield wall disengaged. Our templars stepped aside in perfect formation. Such nerve, such discipline, oh it was a wonder to behold!" Rurik sketched some more on the ground. "The nomads poured in through the gap but straight ahead of them lay a bend in the pathway through the caltrops. There would be no way a horde charging at such speed would be able to turn in time, with thousands more pushing behind them." Here his eyes shone. "At this very moment the roiling clouds suddenly drew apart, bathing the battlefield in Yelm's radiance. A barrage of Sun Spears blew a straight road through to the heart of the oasis!" "The Sun Dome Templars stood silently by as the nomads poured in. Quickly, the Lunar rout became a massacre, but the only Sun Domer to fall at Moonbroth was Count Invictus himself. "After the victory your Lord Belvani proclaimed himself Count, and was acclaimed so by his Templars. He immediately announced Sun County would make a pact with my lord Argrath White Bull, who was already preparing to lead his victorious Praxians against Pavis." "How will the nomads hope to take Pavis?", Cornspot asked in disbelief, "They know nothing about siegecraft – even our village walls keep them out." "Count Belvani promised Argrath that proof of the Sun Dome's fidelity would be shown before the walls of Pavis," said Rurik, "And that is why I am here."

Chaosium's art director Jaye Kovach talks with James Coquillat about the process of creating art for Greg Stafford's world of Glorantha, setting for our RuneQuest RPG. Part of our Chaosium Interviews series on YouTube.

Because dates were a staple for the Bedu and are very sweet, they didn't crave sweet things. They craved fat. Where we might give a child some candy as a treat, in those days on the Trucial Coast a treat would be giving a child a great big gobbet of fat to chew on. Even today at banquets there is a special dish served called Harees which is fatty meat and wheat boiled together for hours to make a thick sort of fatty paste. Served with ghee, it's definitely designed to satisfy your need for fat, and fill you up. Every time I went to the Sheikh's majlis it would be served towards the end of the meal, specifically to make sure everyone had properly eaten their fill. Served by hand - no utensils (once, at his summer palace, I was served by the Sheikh himself which was a bigger deal than I released at the time). https://abudhabiculture.ae/en/discover/food/harees

MUTTON BIRD PUDDING Baboon feet are almost as good as hands, and as soon as Melo Yelo got clear of Daystar's cavern he removed the stone knife from his palm. His healing magic deftly sealed it up, but the presence of so much salt made the injury still sting dreadfully nevertheless. Activating his fabled helmet, he headed for the surface. When he reached the upper galleries he found Dusk Detail inmates hard at work, chipping and cutting away at the salt under flickering black gold lamps. Melo Yelo had lost all track of time down with the Dark Detail, but this must mean it was daytime outside: the Duskers always returned to the surface to sleep. He was wondering how he might get past the the Templar guards at the mine's entrance when someone called out to him: it was Cornspot! His human friend explained that his cushy job in the Dawn Detail, which wouldn't have seen him enter the mines at all, blew up on his second day. Cornspot got involved in a fight. The head of the cookhouse was the morokanth known as Mock Pork. One of the few non-humans imprisoned here, she'd been sentenced for illegally enslaving Sun Dome Folk. Even in a Sun Dome prison Yelmalio's dietary geases are meant to be respected and Cornspot noticed Mock Pork slopping the same mutton bird pudding into everyone's bowl, whether they were allowed to eat bird meat or not. "We fought, I lost," Cornspot said ruefully. "Then they busted me down to the Dusk Detail and told me to mind my own business what goes on in the cookhouse." Since then Cornspot had been labouring in the mines with the other unfortunates, but had earned some kudos by saying he knew the hero of Angle Fort. Like him, the inmates appreciated what Melo Yelo had done for their starving families, even if the Sun Dome leadership seemingly did not. Cornspot devised a cunning plan to get the baboon to the outside. "But what then?" he wondered, and Melo Yelo didn't really have an answer; Yelmalio would provide, he hoped. The mine site had no walls – didn't need them being so far out in hostile territory – but the baboon at least knew how to survive in Vulture's Country where Sun Folk farmers would not. He also thought he'd be able to avoid the Sable braves Cornspot said were always lurking about. They earned a bounty for any scalps they took of prisoners stupid enough to make a break for it. Mining at Pent Ridge is difficult and dangerous. The poor diet, stifling heat, and impossible quotas help to make accidents commonplace. Cornspot got Melo Yelo out by faking an accident. He and some comrades carried the baboon out wrapped in a sheet, saying the prisoner had been grievously injured in a tunnel collapse. These happened frequently enough because the lack of wood meant few tunnels can be properly braced, and cave-ins are a constant hazard. The indifferent guards at the mine entrance saw enough to note the latest casualty had indeed lost an arm and waved them through to the infirmary tent. Outside it was noon, and the prisoners all squinted in the glare. Crossing the bare plain to the encampment shimmering in the distance, Cornspot muttered "What now?". Before Melo Yelo could answer, a shadow passed over them all. With a great flap of its wings, the wyrm Windwhistler landed a short distance in front of them. On its back was a resplendent golden warrior, who dismounted. The prisoners dropped the baboon in surprise. He sprung to his feet. Through the heat haze Melo Yelo thought this must be Lord Belvani, come to rescue! But as the warrior approached he realised no, it wasn't the Light Captain at all: no, it was the Light Son who bested him at the Cradle, and who he saw in his vision at the Paps. The warrior stood before them and took off his helmet. He was a handsome man with a sandy beard. He told them, "My name is Rurik Runespear, Companion of Argrath White Bull. I am here to find the baboon Melo Yelo."

Sorry, I'm going to go by what Thesiger says. (I also have my own experience of living in the Middle East for a decade among the descendants - in many cases, the children - of the people he wrote about. The veneer of technology etc is not very deep.)

This first drop of Call of Cthulhu Digital Collectables on the VeVe Digital Collectables app last Friday sold out in ten seconds!These first releases were the Idol of Cthulhu, available in Jade, Gold, and Bronze versions, and the Necronomicon. They were created in collaboration with Type40 artists Simon Lissaman and Seth Laster. 1,975 were sold of each item.There will be another drop with new Call of Cthulhu digital collectables later this year!Proud VeVe fans are now showing off these prized items in their collections, here are some:

IT IS TIME TO DANCE... "OURO", chanted Daystar. Melo Yelo blinked and shook himself awake. He was back in the cavern surrounded by a fug of yellow smoke. He was unclear on where he'd been. His arm ached - his missing left arm that is. What had just happened? The priest handed him the pipe and waved at the ceiling. "It is done. The time of the Dragon Sun draws closer, the time for utuma! We must continue to smoke, smoke, smoke, and our spirits, yours and mine, will dream the Dance of Pure Being," he said. "OUROB" said the Midnight Express. This was the first time the dragonewt had changed the chant. "The sublime moment of Creation will soon be upon us!" Daystar exclaimed. "Belvani offered me no release from this dark pit. Pah! He only wanted me to confirm what he already suspected was true. Oh how he will be surprised when I assume the form of his precious Guardian of Above!" Melo Yelo wasn't clear what was going on, but he was certain this was not part of Lord Belvani's plan. The old priest's eyes glistened. "When you prostrate yourselves before the Sun Dragon will be the moment I shall eat him, and you, you reborn can lead the Sun Folk under the watch of my slitted eye!" He cackled maniacally. Daystar reached for the stone knife. "Come," he said to Melo Yelo, "It is time to Dance..." One of his trollkin servants was tugging at his sleeve. Throughout this smoking ritual, Daystar had blithely tuned out the piteous pleas of the Dark Detail prisoners as their croaking for water grew ever fainter. For this interruption he gave the trollkin a positively murderous look. But his servant glumly pointed to the basket by his side: it was empty! The other trollkin was already smearing the last remaining package of hazia into the bowl of the hookah. "Aieee!", screamed Daystar. He turned in wide-eyed panic to The Midnight Express and spoke urgently with spits and hisses. In his mind, Melo Yelo could understood what was being said: "Go at once to my Treasury, we must have more hazia! Bring it, bring it all, the moment of utuma is almost upon us!" The Midnight Express strode over to the entrance that led to Daystar's store of goods. The woman Forgotten got up from her resting spot and went through into the tunnel with the dragonewt. A few moments later a deep-throated roar erupted from the tunnel. Then Forgotten came out of the tunnel again, with a smirk on her face. In her hand she was twirling one of her tarnished silver and finger bone necklaces. What she'd done was given the protective talisman to the dragonewt, and then palmed it. He was now in spirit combat with two dozen gibbering Mad Head ghosts. Forgotten's reappearance swinging her amulet must have been a signal to the other desperately thirsty inmates. Those still capable sprung from their places and immediately charged up the mound crying out hoarsely. Daystar's trollkin servants, silent until now, fled with high-pitched squeals. It took a moment or two for Daystar to comprehend what was happening. He reacted in furious indignation and screamed with spittle-flecked rage. Then, taking a deep breath, he prepared to unleash powerful magic. But before he could do so, he was caught from behind. Forgotten had looped one of her leather thongs around his neck and started strangling him. The hookah pipe was knocked flying in the rush of the prisoners, but they ignored Melo Yelo and the priest in their haste to get to the well. A fight erupted over the bucket. Meanwhile, Daystar tried to make a few futile jabs behind him with the stone knife, but Forgotten had garrotted many victims before. He then came up with a new idea: Daystar turned the knife around and prepared to pierce himself in the heart! He was still over the stone, and perhaps if he killed himself before he was strangled, he would yet have his chance of being reborn in the Guardian of Above. But Melo Yelo blocked the knife as Daystar attempted plunged it into his chest. It was incredibly sharp and went straight though the baboon's palm. The pain was terrible yet he gripped it with his fingers and wrenched the blade away. It was time to leave this strange and ghastly place. The Guardian of Above's block was far too heavy for Melo Yelo to carry, especially with only one arm, but the baboon fled into the darkness with the stone knife still stuck through his hand. He left the fracas in Daystar's cavern behind him and looked for a way to the surface.

Kickstarter has just notified us that 5718 backers pledged USD$591,470.01 to help bring our Call of Cthulhu Classic project to life. That is amazing, astounding, and awesome. It exceeded our expectations and we feel like we just rolled a special success. Thank you to all who joined us for this intense ritual to bring back some of the Great Old Ones. Our efforts certainly succeeded. As the saying from 1928 goes, "That is not dead which can eternal lie." In our case we don't have to have a lot of early Call of Cthulhu books just lying in the archives. We're bringing them back onto your gaming shelves for you to read, play, and enjoy. There's lots more info to come, but right now we wanted to focus on thanking everyone who backed the campaign for making it such a success. The Stars Were Right! And it was all down to all of you!

With literally one hour to go in our Call of Cthulhu Classic Kickstarter, people have been trying to triangulate on exactly how many scenarios are in the 2" boxed set, so we thought we should provide a list: The Haunted House (by Sandy Petersen) The Brockford House A Beginning Scenario for a Campaign The Wail of the Witch Shadows of Yog Sothoth The People of the Monolith The Warren The Auction Black Devil Mountain The Asylum The Mauretania Gate from the Past Westchester House Paper Chase The Mystery of Loch Feinn The Rescue The Secret of Castronegro The Haunted House (by Keith Herber) Shadows over Hollywood The Underground Menace Valley of the Four Shrines Curse of Tsathoggua Trail of Tsathoggua That's 23 scenarios, although Shadows of Yog Sothoth is really a campaign and you could equate each of its 7 chapters to a scenario. Doing that would bring the total to 29! What's more, the boxed sets and PDFs on offer are not only packed-full of nostalgia from the birth of the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game in 1981, but are also fully compatible with the 7th Edition of the game! Last chance to back, the campaign ENDS Sat 24 July at 7pm EDT / 4pm PDT! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chaosium/call-of-cthulhu-classic